


When Forever Is Ending

by fhsa_archivist



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Adult Content, Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-07-22
Updated: 2005-07-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 19:15:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12800556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fhsa_archivist/pseuds/fhsa_archivist
Summary: Just days before the final battle, Angel and Spike try to come to terms with what they stand to lose.





	When Forever Is Ending

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Haven, the archivist: This story was originally archived at [Fandom Haven Story Archive (FHSA)](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fandom_Haven_Story_Archive), was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2016. To preserve the archive, I began working with the OTW to transfer the stories to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. If you are this creator and the work hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Fandom Haven Story Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/fhsa/profile).

{{I was listening to DOA by Foo Fighters when I got the idea for this story. As with all of my music inspired stories, it's best to listen to the song to help the reader grasp where I was comming from. Sorta. Kinda. Maybe. Or that might just be me and my peculiarities...}}

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It was happening again. The Apocolypse. Only this time, there wouldn't be a Buffy to come swooping in to save the day. And the world. There was nothing the Slayer could do to stop this. There was nothing *I* could do to stop this. Both the Sunnydale team and mine here in LA have exausted themselves researching. Books and scrolls and any prophesy we could find, no matter how obscure, that held the slightest *hint* of the up-comming battle. Battle. Ha! That would imply we had an ice-cubes chance in hell of surviving this. Battle! Armogeden is more like it. Just two short days away. They've almost worked themselves into the ground and yet my humans still haven't given up. 

And then there's Spike. The bane of my existance. The never ending thorn in my side. The eternal pain in my ass. ...The biggest shock of my un-life. Right along side me, working his slender yet toned and muscular (did I just think that?!) rump off. Chasing every lead, shaking down -and, rather violently, up- every single contact, demon-for-hire and back-ally snitch we could get our hands on. And that was on top of our usual, as Spike calls it, "Nightly bout of save the food source". We were in the sewers when the sun was high and on the streets from dusk until dawn. Heading out the second the sun was low enough not to turn us into ash on the aspalt. Barely making it in come morning, the suns first rays chasing us. We've burst through the doors smoking more then once. Every time I had to watch the hopefull faces of my human family fall as I shook my head. They'd pack it in and head home, or just crash somewhere in the many offices or appartments to try to catch a few hours sleep only to get up and do it all again. They didn't complain. Not so much as a word was said about the utter unfairness of it all. They just knuckled down and did what had to be done. 

And through it all, the one I thought would react the worst, was the best of the lot. Where I expected broken furniture, instead I saw the touch of a comforting hand placed on a bowed shoulder. Where I thought to see holes in my walls, instead I witnessed one of the most evil vampires in history holding a slip of a girl while she sobbed into his shirt. Where I should have heard the mother of all tantrums, instead I watched my most volitile Childe slumped on the couch, silent and still. 

 

For the past week or so, Spike has been acting strange. Maybe longer then that and I just didn't notice until now. But only in private. Quite and withdrawn. The air of heartsickness was almost palpable. He'd come in and strip off the shirt that was covered in whatever passed for the demon or demons of the evenings blood. Just ball it up and throw it into the laundry pile by the washer. Then simply drop bare chested and bare foot onto the couch and there he'd stay until I told him to go to bed. And off he'd go. No mess, no arguments, no snark. And once in a while, I caught him watching me with an unreadable expression, turning away when he saw me looking. To say I was confused, would be a gross understatement. I was worried about my wayward Childe, in a way that I hadn't been in a long time. Worried enough to break with tradition and actually atempt to talk to him. To get him to talk to me. I had to try. He's my..my..well..he's mine. My Childe. My reponsibility. He keeps me on my toes, keeps me grounded, keeps me sane. And during my more intense private brooding sessions, I can admit, if only to myself, that he's still my favorite. So yeah. That discribes what Spike is to me. Simply put, he's mine. Even if he doesn't know it. So here I go. To try to have an actual conversation. With Spike.

 

***switches to outside perspective***

 

Sitting down beside Spike, Angel watched as he sighed and rolled his head to one side to look at his Sire.

 

"What's this then?"

 

"I.." frowning, the older vampire shook his head

 

"Look mate, if you're spoiling for a fight, try me tomorrow yeh?" Spike turned away and closed his eyes "Don't wanna fight with you tonight Angelus." 

 

Reaching out a hesitant hand, Angel brushed the backs of his fingers over the younger demons pale cheek. Inhaling sharply, Spike flinched away. Standing abruptly, he went to the fridge and grabbed a bag of blood. Not even bothering to heat it, he bit a hole and sucked it dry. Dropping it empty into the garbage, he flicked his Sire an inscutable look and began his usual restless pacing.

 

Hiding his shock at the unusual neatness, Angel took a closer look at the blonde "What's wrong Spike?"

 

Spike shook his head with a snort "Nuthin' you wanna hear about Peaches."

 

"Try me."

 

"Why? So I can hear yet again what a stupid, useless, waste of space I am? An evil, unfeeling, unwanted, annoyance? An in the way, ridin'-your-coat-tails wannabe, sucking the unlife out of you? Tell me Angelus..*why* would I want to open myself up to *you*, just to hear what I've heard *so* many bloody times it's all but burned behind my eyeballs?!" 

 

Feeling a fresh flood of guilt for all the scorn he's piled on his youngest remaining Childe, the brunette took a steadying breath "I wasn't going..I'm just tring to help."

 

Growling, Spikes' eyes flashed yellow "*Help*? 'M *not* one of your sodding charity cases you wanker! I don't need your *help*!"

 

Asimilating everything said and unsaid, the seated vampire held his temper and nodded "Then what *do* you need? You're not acting like yourself, and I just thought.."

 

Grabbing the nearest thing to hand, the suddenly enraged younger vampire threw it across the room. Groping for his smokes, Spike lit up and threw the empty pack at Angels feet "You *THOUGHT*?! You either think too much or don't think at all! Not acting like myself am I? You haven't a buggering *clue* who I am *ANGEL* so *don't* feed me that rot!"

 

"Be that as it may, you've been acting..different for a while. Giving me strange looks. Something's up, so what is it?" 

 

Rolling tight shoulders as he stalked back and forth, Spike laughed, an empty humorless sound "Yeah well, like I told you. Nothin' you wanna hear. Just bloody well let it go."

 

"I can't." standing, Angel was across the room and had ahold of Spikes' arm before the younger demon could blink "I can't let it go. Not now. The way things look, we're all going to die in *two days*!" holding tight when Spike growled and tried to yank his arm away, the older vampire gave him a shake "I can't just let that go. You're going to *die* Will!"

 

Lobbing a left hook that snapped Angels head around, Spike tore away with a choked sound "*Don't* call me that! You *DON'T* get to call me that anymore! *NOW* you care? *NOW* you wanna hold on? *A HUNDRED BLOODY FUCKING YEARS* Angelus and *NOW* you suddenly give a toss about me?? WHY? 'Cause it's not *YOU* killing me?? Well you'll have to pardon me Sir, if I *don't* fall at your feet in gratitude like a mindless Fledge!" bowing mockingly, the blonde vampire stalked across the room.

 

"I don't want you at my feet! I want you at my *side*! I've *always* cared Will. I know I didn't show it, like..ever, I know I've messed up *bad* but I never stopped caring about you. You are as you always have been."

 

"And what's that then!? What am I? To you! Other then nothing!"

 

Getting right up into Spikes' face, Angel laid a hand over his Childes unbeating heart "You're *mine* William."

 

Jerking like he's been struck with a livewire, the younger vampire lurched back and hit the wall, staring up in disbelief for long minutes. Once he found his voice again, all that emerged was a rusty croak. Swallowing hard, Spike tried again "You bastard." he breathed "You utter bastard."

 

Keeping anguished blue eyes pinned on his Sire, Spike fumbled along the wall until he found the door knob. Wrenching the door open, the blonde vampire stumbled out and slammed the door. Hearing movement on the other side, Spike flung himself down the hall. Fleeing the sufocating feeling of the walls closing in, he raced through the building until he reached the lobby. The sudden openness gave the overwhelmed demon a moments pause, then he was hurtling at the weapons case. A jump sent him flying, left foot extended, the last three yards and over the desk to smash the glass. Snatching up twin short swords, he flexed his legs and was on the desk. Leaping off, the blonde vampire landed on one knee, one sword held crossways at eye level, the other straight up behind him. A heartbeats pause, and he was moving. Pivot, block, parry, thrust, always moving, flowing seamlessly through forms unseen for over a century. Ever faster until the swords were little more then a blur of movement, and flashes when they caught the light.

 

Trapped in a maelstrom of emotions, Spike never noticed the human still seated on the couch in the lobby. Watching with equal parts fear and facination, the potentially fatal poetry and feral beauty of this volitile dance. All the more terrible in it's elegance for it's utter silence. Forcibly reminded of the power, speed and unholy grace of these creatures he worked and all but lived with everyday. After a moment, Wesley noticed Angel in the doorway also watching the younger vampire. Standing, the ex-watcher took a step towards the older vampire only to come to an abrupt halt when Spike suddenly appeared in front of him. Carefully moving only his eyes, Wesley looked down at the swords crossed at his throat. Swallowing somewhat nervously, he looked up into burning blue eyes. Empty of all recognition. Watched as the nostrils of one William The Bloody flared, inhaling deep, tasting him on the air. Wesley flinched as the swords were abruptly thrown aside and the vampire morphed into gameface. 

Pulling Wesley against him, Spike lowered his head and sniffed the side of the humans' throat. Warm male and warmer blood were the dominant scents. Under that was a dash of fear shot through liberally with curiosity, weariness, worry, a touch of anger and just a hint of sadness. Over the blondes shoulder, Wesley saw Angel take a step in their direction, and he shook his head. Nodding his understanding, the brunette demon stopped where he was, but continued to observe in concerned silence. Ready to step in if the need should arise. The blonde growled softly and rested his fangs against the steady pulse that called to his demon.

 

"Ah...Spike? Is something troubling you?" keeping his voice low and calm, Wesley was careful to keep very still. Not wanting to provoke the vampire whose rather sharp teeth were currently running up and down his jugular. 

 

The Watcher in him was screaming VAMPIRE! RUN!, but the man who had come to call this creature friend, was far more worried for the obviously troubled vampire then for himself. So focused was he on making no movements, he almost missed it when Spike suddenly shivered. The blonde growled again, and pressed his fangs into the soft warm skin. Stopping just shy of drawing blood, another tremor ran through the slender frame. A whine crawled from Spikes' throat ending in a sound that was almost a sob as he began breathing. Wesley lifted a hand to touch the distraught vampires' shoulder, but the second he made contact with the shivering demon, Spike voiced a coughing roar that would have done any lion proud and lifted the shocked human off his feet. Before he had time to do more then gasp, Wesley was whirled around and thrown through the air. Bracing himself for what was sure to be a rather painfull landing, the human was stunned when the lobby chesterfield became his resting place.

Taking stock, Wesley noted that he didn't have so much as a hair pulled out, and quickly turned his attention back to the blonde vampire.


End file.
